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Sunday, November 27, 2011

I love to observe people

I love to people watch. I do it in my store, on the street, in malls and stores, and really everywhere people are (legally). People are entertaining being:

funny, stupid, innocent, goofy, grumpy, and plain mean and hateful. All the traits of the seven dwarfs and then some. Sometimes I just cannot figure how people can be so diverse in their attitudes and actions.

I saw a homeless person that has recently been hanging around Broad Street during the day. She is a Caucasian woman of around 45 years old. I have seen her in several of the usual hangouts on the street. The place that sells beer and wine, the lottery store, and the corner. The first day I saw her she asked me if I had $2.00 to help her. I replied, "No I don't, have a safe night."

Here is the incident I observed leaving my store on Saturday 26th of November 2011 that has me questioning how controlling do you have to be to be so kind.

I locked the door to the store and headed for my car. Across the street I saw the homeless woman on the sidewalk. She was facing north and there were no people in front of her on the sidewalk all the way to the end of the street. Unbeknowest to her a large proabaly six feet plus African American was walking toward her rapidly. I thought to myself "this looks suspicious." The man stepped in front of her and reached into his jacket pocket. Pulling out a rather large green apple he presented it to her saying, "here have this to eat." Quickly the lady held up her arm and with her hand strecthed out like a policeman stopping traffic and replied, "I DON'T WANT IT." The man strecthed out his arm a second time saying, "go on take it" and was met with the reply, "NO!"
Well this large man with good intentions must have decided that she really needed it so he reached out and shoved it onto her stack of clothing she had piled in her lap. He promptly turned and walked away.
The woman was mad! She grabbed the apple and with all her might, she threw it at the man. She only threw it five feet and it rolled by him as he walked away. Upon seeing the apple rolling past him with bits of peel flying into the air, the man scooped up the apple and turned to look at the lady. She quickly shouted, I DON'T WANT YOUR F***#+! apple! His reply was quick. Like a baseball pitcher he wound up and delivered a fast ball (apple ball) towards the lady. It was not a strike, it was a little low and when the apple struck it explode into pieces against her wheel chair and covered her with bits from head to toe.
I shouted out to the man, "REALLY???" and he replied, "I tried to give her the apple and she threw it at me!" "Really?????" I said, as I walked away toward my car shaking my head in disbelief.

I'm still shaking my head from side to side trying to figure out the whole incident.

1 comment:

  1. I just have to comment on this, even though the comment is belated - because the whole incident reminds me of someone I love and know well, so maybe a look inside his head will illuminate this for you. The person I'm thinking of is very kind and empathetic. When he sees someone in distress, he immediately and unfailingly tries to help. He doesn't want anything back and, like this man did, will just keep walking. He doesn't demand gratitude or even a thank you - he's satisfied knowing he's given someone something. On the other hand, he doesn't expect to be mistreated because he tried to help someone and, if they do return his kindness with abuse, he'll get very angry and shout back at them in a pretty harsh way. He won't, like the man you saw, do anything physical, but he'll be every bit as angry. It's the disappointment of having good intentions and being made to suffer for having indulged them. He doesn't want to learn the wrong lesson - which is: don't ever help anyone - and his anger comes from the fact that his best quality, empathy and willingness to help, is the means of being hurt. Of course, I think my dear one has a good ability to perceive when someone is just plain crazy - which seems to be the case with your homeless person - and wouldn't become angry with someone who was obviously not in control of themselves.

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